Palliative care in long-term care settings for older people : findings from an EAPC taskforce

A changing demography across European and other developed countries is leading to an older and, in many cases, more dependent population. Consequently, the demand for long-term care is changing. This has, in turn, led to the consideration of new models of service delivery, funding and quality management in the long-term care sector. A significant proportion of older people (defined as those aged 65 and over) die in long-term care settings" approximately 20% in the UK and 15% in Austria. Older people living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Western societies often have non-cancer comorbidities, and there is a high prevalence of dementia in this population.